The present disclosure pertains to slab bolsters for use in the construction of reinforced concrete structures. More particularly, it relates to a slab bolster with improved coupling capabilities. Still more specifically, it relates to a slab bolster coupling or connection mechanism for joining a plurality of slab bolster elements together to form a continuous bolster of a desired length.
Concrete is used in a variety of construction methods. In many cases, a concrete form or mold is created, and then wet concrete is poured into the mold. In reinforced concrete construction, reinforcing bars, or rebar, is positioned in a slab form prior to pouring wet concrete. The rebar may improve the strength of the finished concrete structure or slab, particularly by increasing tensile strength.
Various means and methods can be used to position the rebar where the concrete will be poured. In many applications, relatively lightweight frame members, known as slab bolsters, are used as supports to position and elevate a plurality of reinforcing bars in a slab form or mold before the concrete is poured. The slab bolsters are typically positioned at spaced intervals on a deck or grade within a slab form to support rebar prior to pouring wet concrete. After positioning the bolsters within the slab form, rebar may be placed across the support surfaces of parallel slab bolsters. If a slab form is wider than a single slab bolster, it may be necessary to connect two or more slab bolsters together linearly to form a continuous bolster across the entire width of the slab form. Accordingly, various connecting or coupling mechanisms have been devised to perform this function, such as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,010.
It has been a goal in the field of slab bolsters to provide coupling or connecting elements that provide more secure connection of bolsters to each other, while also providing greater simplicity and ease in connecting the bolsters. In particular, it is desired to provide a coupling mechanism that is simple to assemble, yet that is resistant to unintentional decoupling when in use.